Complete D2CCA Midwest Region Release

EVANSVILLE, Ind.—Ashland University sophomore guard Jodi Johnson (Wadsworth, Ohio) has been named the Division II Conference Commissioner's Association Women's Basketball Midwest Region Player of the Year in a vote by the region's sports information directors.

Johnson, the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Player of the Year, is averaging 19.2 points, 5.5 rebounds and 3.9 assists per game to lead the top-ranked and defending national champion Eagles, who carry a 70-game winning streak into Monday night's NCAA II Midwest Region championship game against No. 3 Drury University. It marks the first time that Johnson has earned All-Midwest Region honors and the second straight year that an Ashland student-athlete has been named Midwest Region Player of the Year.

Johnson is joined by a pair of teammates on the first team as 2017 Midwest Region Player of the Year Laina Snyder (Millersburg, Ohio), a senior forward/center, and senior forward Andi Daugherty (Fresno, Ohio) have been named to the first team for the third consecutive season. 

Lewis University junior forward Jessica Kelliher (Waukesha, Wisconsin) and Ursuline College senior forward Laney Lewis (Lynchburg, Ohio) rounded out the first-team honorees. Kelliher, the Great Lakes Valley Conference Player of the Year, is on the first team for the second straight year and is now a three-time All-Midwest Region honoree after leading the nation with 24.7 points per game; while Lewis, the Great Midwest Athletic Conference Player of the Year, is earning her first All-Region honor after leading the nation in rebounding and triple-doubles (4).

Players listed on the All-Midwest Region first team advance to the national ballot for All-America consideration.

The Division II Conference Commissioners' Association All-Midwest Region second team consists of University of Indianapolis senior guard Martha Burse (Kankakee, Illinois); University of Southern Indiana senior forward Morgan Dahlstrom (Grayslake, Illinois) and senior guard/forward Kaydie Grooms (Marshall, Illinois); Drury sophomore forward Hailey Diestelkamp (Owensville, Missouri); and University of Findlay junior forward Anna Hintz (North Fairfield, Ohio). 

This marks the first All-Midwest Region awards for all five student athletes that were voted to the second team. Diestelkamp and the Panthers will battle Ashland Monday at 7 p.m. (EDT) for the NCAA II Midwest Region title in Ashland, Ohio.

Division II Conference Commissioners Association All-Midwest Region Team